Becker, George F. (George Ferdinand), 1847-1919

Epithet: American geologist

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000543.0x0000d4

Geologist, mathematician, engineer, and physicist.

From the description of George F. Becker papers, 1814-1928. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71131117

Biographical Note

• 1847, Jan. 5: Born, New York, N.Y.
• 1866: Married Sarah M. Barnes (divorced 1879)
• 1868: B.A., Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
• 1869: Ph.D., University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
• 1869 - 1870 : Reporter, New York Herald Tribune, during the Franco-Prussian War
• 1870: Received "Certificate as a Practical Puddler" from Royal Iron Works in Germany
• 1871: Mining engineer degree, Royal Academy of Mines, Berlin, Germany
• 1872 - 1873 : Construction engineer, Joliet Iron and Steel Co., Joliet, Ill.
• 1874 - 1879 : Instructor in mining and metallurgy, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.
• 1879: Married Alice Theodora (“Elsie”) Watson (died 1880)
• 1880 - 1882 : Surveyed Comstock Lode
• 1880 - 1883 : Special agent for Tenth United States Census
• 1880 - 1891 : Geologist-in-charge, United States Geological Survey
• 1883 - 1888 : Investigated quicksilver deposits of the Pacific slope
• 1892: Began first studies of deforming effects of great pressures
• 1895: Investigated gold fields of southern Alaska
• 1895 - 1919 : Geologist-in-charge, United States Geological Survey
• 1896: Examined gold and diamond mines in South Africa
• 1898: Geophysicist, United States Geological Survey
• 1898 - 1899 : Detailed to serve as geologist with the United States Army, Philippine Islands
• 1902: At request of President Theodore Roosevelt appointed to prepare a report on the desirability of instituting scientific exploration of the Philippine Islands Married Florence Serpell Deakins
• 1904: Lectured on "How Small an Army We Need"
• 1910: Represented United States at Radioactivity Congress, Brussels, Belgium
• 1914: President, Geological Society of America
• 1919, Apr. 20: Died, Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the George F. Becker Papers, 1814-1928, (bulk 1870-1919), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)